Tent structure



June 25, 1963 M. WINKLER 3,095,069

TENT STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 21, 1960 United States Patent Ofifice 3,695,59 Patented June 25, 1963 3,095,069 TENT STRUCTURE Max L. Winkler, Monterey Park, Caiif assignor to Canvas Specialty Manufacturing Company, Los Angeies, Calii, a corporation of Caiiiornia Filed Nov. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 70,770 13 Claims. (Cl. 189-1) The present invention relates to enclosures, and more particularly to tent structures.

An object of the invent-ion is to provide a tent structure of substantial size capable of being readily assembled and disassembled, and which avoids the use of a center pole or center poles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tent structure devoid of center poles, which is of strong and sturdy construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tent structure devoid of center poles, and which has a relatively wide span between side poles or posts, in which the side poles are prevented from spreading apart in order to retain the components of the tent structure in assembled relation.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is the vertical section, with parts shown in side elevation, through a tent structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, with parts shown in section, of a portion of the tent structure disclosed in FIG. '1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 44 on FIG. 2.

The tent structure illustrated in the drawings is adapted to enclose a substantial area without any obstructing intermediate or center poles. A supporting structure for a tent cover C is illustrated in FIG. 1. It is to be understood, however, that a plurality of parallel supporting structures, spaced apart by a suitable distance, may comprise the entire frame for the tent structure, the tent cover or roof C extending over and between the spacedaapart supporting structures.

As shown, each structure includes a pair of spaced, vertical side posts or poles 10, "11, which may be made of tubing or pipe. Each of these poles rest upon a base plate 12 bearing upon the ground G. A side fitting 13 is mounted in the upper portion of each of the side poles 10, 11. As shown, each fitting consists of a vertical leg portion 14- piloted within the upper end of the side pole or 11, this leg portion being welded, or otherwise suitably secured, to an arm portion 15 inclined in an upward and inward direction. A vertical rod 16 is also suitably secured, as by welding, to the 'arm 15 or leg 14 at their juncture, this rod being adapted to extend upwardly through a suitable opening 17 in the tent cover C, which may be made of canvas or other suitable material. Attached to the arm 15 and leg 14 of each side fitting is a connecting member 18, such as an eye or ring, which may be welded to both the arm and the leg. Such attachment serves to strengthen the entire side fitting structure.

The side fittings 13, 1-3 are oppositely disposed with their inclined arms 15 extending toward each other in an upward direction. Each inclined arm 15 is piloted within the lower portion of an inclined or diagonal rafter member .19, which may consist of a suitable length of tubing or pipe. The upper end of each diagonal rafter member is piloted over an inclined leg 20 of a center fittingZl, the leg portions 20, 29 diverging with respect to one another in a downward direction and 'being suitably secured to one another, as by welding. They are also secured, as by welding, to a vertical rod 22 that extends through a central opening 23 in the tent cover C. Secured, as by welding, to the downwardly facing portions of the diverging legs 20, at their juncture, is .a loop, eye or ring 24 which has a purpose described hereinbelow. This ring element 24 serves to integrate the legs 20, 2% to one another, and add to the rigidity of each of the center fittings 21.

In assembling each of the frame structures, vertical legs 14 of the side fittings 13 are inserted in the upper ends of the side poles 10, i=1, and their inclined arms 15 are inserted within the lower portions of the diagonal tubular rafter members 19, the diverging legs 20 of the center fitting 21 then being inserted in the upper ends of the diagonal rafter members 19. The assembled frame structure is then elevated to the vertical position disclosed in FIG. 1 with the base plates 12 resting upon the ground G. In order to hold the parts in assembled relation to one another and to prevent the side poles and the sides generally from spreading apart, a tension type of device is employed. As shown in the drawings, a tie member or cable 25, which, for example, may be an appropriate length of steel airplane cable, has its ends 26 attached to the eye portions 27 of hooks 28 secured to the rings 18 of the side fittings 13. The tension member 25 passes through rings 29 slidable on the inclined or diagonal rafter members 19. Thus, the cable 25 extends from the eye 18 of one side fitting 13 upwardly along a diagonal rafter 19 at one side of the tent structure, and through the slidable or shiftable ring 29 on such rafter. The cable then extends substantially horizontally across the tent structure to the other ring 29 slidable on the opposed inclined rafter 19, passing through such ring and then downwardly along the opposed rafter to the hook 28 which is connected to the eye 18 of the opposed side fitting 13. By pulling the slide rings or members 29 upwardly along the rafters 19, appropriate tension can be imparted to the cable 25, which will hold the side poles 10, 11, inclined rafters 19, side fittings 13' and center fitting 21 in appropriate relation with respect to one another and prevent their relative shifting towards a disassembled position. Spreading or separating of the sides of the structure with respect to one another is also prevented.

As shown, the slidable elements or rings 29 are pulled upwardly along the side rafters 19 by tensioning devices in the form of ropes 36. Thus, one end portion of a rope has its loop 31 passing through the eye or ring 24 of the center fitting 21, this rope 39 extending downwardly from such center fitting along an inclined rafter 19 and being looped through the slide ring 29 on such rafter. Another tension rope 3% is similarly connected to the eye or ring 24 of the center fitting 21 and extends downwardly along the other opposite inclined rafter 19', its lower portion being looped through the ring 29 slidable on such rafter. The free ends 32 of the ropes, looped through the slide rings 29, can now be pulled upwardly in order to slide the rings 29 in an upward direction and apply the appropriate degree of tension to the cable 2-5. When such tension has been achieved and with the cross portion 33 of the cable in a substantially horizontal position, the free ends 32' of the tensioned rope 39 that pass through tween said rafters and adapted to the slide rings 29 can be appropriately attached, as by suitable knots 34, to the main lengths of the tension ropes, to hold the latter in tension, as well as the cable 25 in tension. The horizontal portion 33 of the cable is disposed above the ground G an adequate distance to afford appropriate head room or clearance, so as not to interfere with objects or persons therebelow.

After the ropes 39 and cable 25 have been appropriately tensioned, and all of the spaced tent structures have been assembled in such manner, the tent cover C can be placed over the frame work, with the rods 16, 22 extending through their companion openings 17, 23 in the cover. The side portions of the cover may then be appropriately secured in place, in a known manner.

When the tent is to be disassembled, the cover C is removed, the tension ropes 36 released from the rings 29 and the relaxed cable 25 unhooked from the eyes or rings 18 of the side fittings 13. The rafters 19 can now be removed from the legs 29 of the center fitting 21, and from the upwardly inclined arms 15 of the side fittings i3, whereupon the side fittings are removed from the side poles 10, 11.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that the tent is capable of easy assembly and disassembly. It can cover comparatively wide areas without the necessity for a center pole or center poles. The cable 25 can have the appropriate tension applied to it in a comparatively easy manner through use of the tension ropes 3t} and the upward shifting of the slide rings 2? on the inclined rafters 19. Such tensioned cable holds the components of the tent structure in appropriate assembled relation, and insures against spreading of the side portions from one another. Appropriate head room or clearance is assured since the horizontal portion 33 of the cable can be placed a considerable distance above the ground G, whereas the remaining portions of the cable lie closely adjacent to the inclined rafters 19.

I claim:

1. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and means for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to .apply tension to said tension member.

2. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles;a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and means connected to said slidable members and to said frame at the juncture between said rafters for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension memher.

3. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and a flexible member connected to each of said slidable members and to said frame at the juncture beshift said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

4. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and a rope connected to each of said slidable members and to said frame at the juncture between said rafters and adapted to pull said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

5. In a tent structure: spaced apart side poles; opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other; a side fitting connecting each side pole to a rafter; a center fitting connecting said rafters to each other; a

member slidable on eacn rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said side fittings; and means for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

6. In a tent structure: spaced apart side poles; opposed rafters extending from said side poles towardeach other; a side fitting connecting each side pole to a rafter; a center fitting connecting said rafters to each other; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said side fittings; and means connected to said slidable members and to said center fitting for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

7. In a tent structure: spaced apart side poles; opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other; a side fitting connecting each side pole to a rafterga center fitting connecting said rafters to each other; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said side fittings; and a flexible member connected to each of said slidable members and to said center fitting for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

8. In a tent structure: spaced apart side poles; opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other; a side fitting connecting each side pole to 'a rafter; a center fitting connecting said rafters to each other; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said side fittings; and a rope connected to each of said slidable members and to said center fitting and adapted to pull said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

9. In a tent structure: spaced apart tubular side poles; op-posed tubular rafters extending from said side poles toward each other; a side fitting piloted in each side pole and adjacent rafter to interconnect said pole and adjacent rafter; a center fitting piloted in said rafters to interconnect said rafters; a member slidable on each rafter; a cable extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said side fittings; and a rope connected to each of said slidable members and to said center fitting and adapted to pull said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said cable.

10. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and means for shifting said slidable members along said rafters to apply tension to said tension member.

11. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles and inclined toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slidable on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected at its ends to said frame adjacent to the junctures between said side poles and rafters; and means for shifting said slidable members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

12. In a tent structure: a frame comprising spaced side poles and opposed rafters extending from said side poles and inclined toward each other and connected to each other and to said side poles; a member slida-ble on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidab le members and connected to said frame adjacent to the junctnres between said side poles and rafters; and means for shifting said sl-idable members along said rafters to apply tension to said tension member.

13. In a tent structure: spaced apart side poles; op-

posed rafters extending from said side poles and inclined toward each other; a side fitting connecting each side pole to a rafter; a center fitting connecting said rafters to each other; a member slid-able on each rafter; a tension member extending between said rafters and through said slidable members and connected to said side fittings; and a flexible member connected to each of said slidable members and to said center fitting for shifting said slid'a'ble members along said rafters away from said side poles to apply tension to said tension member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,076,290 King Oct. 21, 1913 1,721,198 Athey July 16, 1929 2,018,945 Castner Oct. 29, 1935 2,239,817 Gross Apr. 29, 1941 2,693,195 Frieder et al. Nov. 2, 1954 

10. IN A TENT STRUCTURE: A FRAME COMPRISING SPACED SIDE POLES AND OPPOSED RAFTERS EXTENDING FROM SAID SIDE POLES TOWARD EACH OTHER AND CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID SIDE POLES; A MEMBER SLIDABLE ON EACH RAFTER; A TENSION MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID RAFTERS AND THROUGH SAID SLIDABLE MEMBERS AND CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME ADJACENT TO THE JUNCTURES BETWEEN SAID SIDE POLES AND RAFTERS; AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID SLIDABLE MEMBERS ALONG SAID RAFTERS TO APPLY TENSION TO SAID TENSION MEMBER. 